I don’t know about you but I used to get so jazzed up when I had parties where the sales were 4 digits! The first time I had one I thought to myself “I have GOT to do more of these!” It was a win-win for me and my hosts so why not do more of them, right?
When I had my own party plan business, there were very few months that I didn’t have at least one $1,000 party. When that starts to happen, you build consistency and predictability in your business. And I’m guessing if you’re reading this, you want that same kind of excitement and predictability in your own business. So let’s walk through some simple steps to help you increase the odds of having those fabulous $1,000 parties.
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WHY You Should Focus on $1,000 Parties
Before we dig into that, you might be wondering why you should even focus on $1,000 parties. I mean you just need to take what you can get, right? Let’s think through it.
#1 – Builds Confidence
The first reason you might want to focus on $1,000 parties is that it builds confidence. If you’re consistently holding at least one $1,000 party every single month, then you know you’re doing a good job. You know your party content is nailed down, your host coaching is dialed in, and you’re doing your job as the party consultant well.
#2 – Increases Your Party Average
$1,000 parties also increase your overall party average. I’m a big believer in checking the data. One of those metrics that you should ALWAYS track as a party plan person is your party average. Your party sales will vary from host to host for various reasons, but on average, when your party average increases, you make more money. It’s simple math.
#3 – Helps Your Host Coaching
Another reason to keep your eye on consistent $1,000 parties is that it helps your host coaching. When you have consistent, specific numbers, that also means that you have specific processes you can share with every single host or hostess on how to have a $1,000 party. Even if the host or hostess doesn’t get to a thousand, you at least have a process to follow to get them close. I’ll take an $800 party any day of the week.
HOW to Have $1,000 Parties Every Single Month
#1 – Believe You Can
Henry Ford said, “If you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right.” The first step is to believe that you can. If other people are doing it, that means you can do it, too. If other party people are consistently selling and getting bookings, that means you can do it, too. Just because you haven’t done it yet, doesn’t mean you can’t! Start by changing your mindset. Decide to not throw in the towel when something goes wrong. If someone else is succeeding, watch and learn.
#2 – Consistently Host Coach
Number two is to consistently host coach. I am still shocked at how many people don’t consistently coach their party hosts. Think about when you start a job or when you do anything for the first time. You don’t know how to do it, right? You don’t know how to change a tire unless you’ve done it. We have a beehive, and the first time we harvested honey I was clueless on how to do it. I had to pull out some books and YouTube videos to figure out how. Why would you expect your hosts or hostesses to know how to have a good party if you don’t tell them?
You must coach every single host or hostess. It doesn’t matter if they’ve hosted before or even if they’re another direct seller. That does not mean they know how to have a good party. Don’t leave stuff out. Say everything that needs to be said to every single party host.
#3 – Set the Bar High
Number three is to set the bar high. Set a high standard for attendance and sales with your host or hostess. This means you want them to personally invite enough people to get to $1,000 in sales. This depends a lot on your average order size. So do the math and figure out how many average orders you need to get to the magic $1,000 in sales. Then coach your host to that.
#4 – Avoid Talking About Minimums
Don’t mention minimums, either. Layer on the belief that your host or hostess can reach $1,000 in sales and explain what he or she can get for it. If you tell them that the minimum party is $200, you’ve set their benchmark. And it’s low. Expectations establish their aim. If you want them to aim for a $1,000 party, then don’t mention the minimum. Set big goals with your hosts right from the start.
#5 – Coach Your Host With Real Numbers
Number five is to coach your host or hostesses with real numbers. You’re the expert here. If you’re not the expert, and you’re just learning or new to the business, talk to your upline. Figure out what your numbers need to be, because whatever you tell your host or hostess, they will believe. Be confident in your own numbers and don’t use someone else’s numbers.
It may take 20 guests to get to $1,000 in sales for you. It may take someone else 30 or 40 guests based on their order averages or the average cost of the product that they’re selling. It’s just math. If you are selling a $300 product, you’ll need fewer guests to purchase than if you are selling a $5 product. Make sense?
You must explain to your host or hostess how many guests to invite to reach a $1,000 party based on your personal party data. Calculate your average order size AND how many people ON AVERAGE order from your party. Do the math and you’ll thank me later.
#6 – Encourage Your Host Along the Way
Another big mistake I’ve seen direct sellers make is not encouraging their hosts along the way. Friend, your hosts are not your enemy. We’ve all had less than stellar hosts. It’s just part of the business. Keep yourself from thinking negatively about them.
If the party flops, look at yourself first. Did you do your job well? Did you communicate with your host or hostess? Did you encourage him or her or talk down to them? You get more flies with sugar or with honey than you do with vinegar. If your host or hostess has 10 guests, encourage them by cheering them on for the people they already HAVE instead of telling them they NEED to invite more.
#7 – Offer Incentives
Offer your host or hostess an incentive to help them think big and give them something to aim for. Maybe when they hit $1,000 in sales, they get to reveal a prize on a scratch off ticket you sent in their host packet. Maybe you’ll send them an extra product from your stash.
Sometimes in business, we talk about lag goals and lead goals. A lead goal is something that you can control. It’s something that leads up to the end. An example of a lead goal would be how many guests you need in attendance to reach your sales goal. You can incentivize the lead goal by offering a prize based on party attendance.
The lag goal is the $1,000 party. Once the party’s over, you can’t change anything. But you CAN do strategic things leading up to that $1,000 goal by offering incentives.
Friend, if you want to consistently hold $1,000 parties each month, I’m encouraging you to take the time to evaluate what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, AND how consistently you do it. There is truly nothing you can’t earn or achieve in your direct sales business without consistency and perseverance. I’m cheering for you!
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Want a proven plan for growing your direct sales business without feeling like you're chasing your tail? The Direct Sellers Business Blueprint explains the 4 key areas you must master to build a simplified, systematic business. It will even tell you which area to tackle first, so you can stop feeling overwhelmed or confused about what to do next. The best part? It's completely FREE!
Mary Haynes is a highly successful direct sales leader turned strategist and coach. Her passion is helping party plan people streamline and scale their businesses using simple, proven strategies. Her goal is to eliminate business overwhelm so direct sellers know exactly what to do and when to do it. Mary is also a homeschooling mama that lives in sunny Florida with her husband, 4 kiddos, 2 dogs, and various other backyard animals.
